From Earth, with Love
by Hadassa J
Summary: Tiffany Gear (OC) is in love with Timber Wolf, but he is with Phantom Girl. How can she get in contact with him to confess her love? With his mad scientist father after him, and evil galactic forces threatening the United Planets, how will a normal human like Tiffany travel through space and time to reunite with Brin? Will he return her love or stay with PG? Hinted ClarkXBrainy.
1. Introduction

_From Earth, With Love_ is a Legion of Superheroes AU fiction set in the early 31st century and follows nineteen-year old Tiffany Gear as she reflects on her old friend and long-time crush, Brin Londo, who disappeared just before they graduated high school. Tiffany discovers that Brin had been turned into a wolf-like creature by the cruel experiments of his father, Dr. Mar Londo, and was rescued by the Legion of Superheroes, which he subsequently joined. While on Earth, Tiffany is able to keep up with the latest news about the Legion, their whereabouts, and adventures. Tiffany wants desperately to reunite with Brin and tell him that she had always loved him, but is heartbroken to find that he has started a relationship with the President's daughter, Tinya Wazzo. Relentless, Tiffany embarks on a dangerous adventure full of mystery and fear, yet driven by love and hope. Will Brin accept her love, or remain devoted to Phantom Girl?

Tiffany's journey forces her to question firmly held planetary norms of species, race, and what makes someone essentially human. In the end, Tiffany finds herself helplessly entwined in a terrifying intergalactic conspiracy against the President and the United Planets.

_From Earth, With Love_ will primarily focus on Tiffany's character development but will also include several first person POVs from Timber Wolf, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy, and Dr. Mar Londo.

**There will be ****_some_**** differences** in planetary designations, histories, technology, as well as a cross-over with the television series _Invader Zim_. Tiffany Gear is my OC, the Legion is owned by DC Comics, Inc., and the Irken Empire is owned by Jhonen Vasquez/Nickelodeon.

1: Introduction

2: Haunted Memories

3: Some Battles Must Be Fought

4:


	2. Haunted Memories

[_Tamaryn – Love Fade _for the opening scene]

I wiped the foggy glass door with my hand and stared at my reflection while waiting for the high-speed elevator to take me up to my floor. Evening classes just dismissed at the university, and it was raining heavily. I could have activated my umbrella disc to keep me dry, but my mind had been elsewhere during the walk back home. The semi-cylindrical glass shaft was on the exterior of the building, so the bright lights of the city were in clear view, and the headlights of the flying cars flashed across my eyes, but I would not shut them. I could not. I was far too stunned.

I kept one hand on the glass as I observed my mirrored form, which was becoming more and more unfamiliar to me as the months passed by. Staring back at me was a slender, pale young woman with dark, deep-set eyes and blonde, damp hair that clung to her head in cold, wet waves. Her full, magenta lips were set in a neutral frown. She looked, and felt, dazed. Yes, the melancholy of numbness wrapped around my being but it was not from apathy, but rather, from shock. I was initially confused at the revelation of the current status of my friend and former classmate Brin Londo, but I quickly killed that emotion. I was tired of being confused, because confusion turns into frustration and frustration turns into pain and my pain hurts the people around me.

I quickly retracted my hand from the glass as if it had just stung me. I ran my hand through my wet hair and closed my eyes. If only I had known that night would be the last night I'd see Brin, those years ago, I would have been more forward with my feelings. I took him for granted. I thought I'd always have him by my side… I took a deep breath and focused on the magnetic hum of the elevator cab, letting my mind journey through the remnants of a happier past.

My friends and I were mid-way through senior year and loving every moment of it. As fourth-years we got first-choice when choosing the more stress-free classes to complete our graduation requirements. We were the cool ones at parties, experienced in the art of dodging the watchful eyes of professors. Without a care in the world, we walked through the high school hallways with confidence and with no bookbags, happy that we weren't the freshmen with heavy bookbags struggling to figure out their locker combinations.

I found one of my friends, Alana, snickering at one such noob. Apparently a skinny-looking freshman with a cracked voice was trying to ask her out.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alana sarcastically sneered at the boy, "but your t-shirt looks like you vomited Calculus all over it." The tall, curvy brunette flashed him a grin before turning to find our gang walking up to her.

"Don't be so harsh Alana," Mercury scolded. She was a freckled, petite girl with short, curly brown hair and big brown eyes. She wrapped a slender arm around the now nervous freshman. "You can go out with _me_ instead. You'll buy me a limo, a personal chauffeur, a mansion with a backyard pool, and I want Oberon as our bond star."

"Ha, oh Curie, ever the gold digger," I laughed. It was a thing now to buy your lover a small star as a symbol of your relationship. It was quite expensive of course, and usually only celebrities or royals did this sort of thing.

Curie quickly got out of the way though as Zedd Michaels, a muscular guy with spikey red hair, and captain of the wrestling team, grabbed the boy's collar and lifted him off the ground.

"Talking to my woman again, lizard-boy?!" Zedd asked, and then threw the freshman to the side, easily tossing him fifteen feet across the hallway. The boy got up and scurried away.

"Leave him alone Zedd, I think he got the message," Brin said in that voice that always sent chills down my spine. I turned to see that he was leaning casually against the lockers, arms crossed, wearing jeans and a tight black shirt that showed every muscle and ab and bicep there is. To make matters worse, his thick, long hair was slightly damp, probably from a morning shower, turning his usually straight, dark brown locks into black, wet waves. His signature white streak ran down the left side and rested on his shoulder. I found it a bit difficult to concentrate on the rest of the conversation.

"C'mon man, just havin' some fun!" Zedd replied.

"And whaddya mean '_your _woman'?" Alana asked Zedd, rolling her eyes. They had this off-and-on relationship that no one took seriously anymore. The athlete had already bought the girl two bond stars, as he is the grandson of a Luthor.

"Can I get some support here? Tiff? Rodes?" Zedd gestured at me and then Lee Rodes, the last member of our crew. He was a slim guy with black hair and was known as the mischief-maker and class clown, but at the moment he was standing next to Brin with an eyebrow raised, clearly not on Zedd's side.

"Alright, I see how it is. Then I guess you guys don't want access cards to the Complextro Night Club VIP party tonight." Zedd tapped his small, tablet-like device and six holographic images of access cards appeared above it. They had our faces, but the birth dates were changed so we were all 21.

Rodes, Alana, and Mercury rushed around Zedd, expressing various "woahs", "no-ways", and "how did you get these" at the jock, who was loving the attention like it was worship. I stayed next to Brin, who was calm and a little more skeptical than our friends.

"There's no way you can pull that off Zedd, I don't buy it," Brin simply said, pushing himself off the lockers.

"Brin, if we get access to this party, we'll be treated like gods in this school!" Curie stated excitedly.

"Let's all meet downtown tonight, and I'll show the disbeliever over here who's the man!" Zedd went behind Brin and grabbed his shoulders, playfully shaking them in that manly way guys do.

…..

"This better work, _Zedd_, or else I got dressed up for nothing!" Alana warned, checking her hair and makeup for the third time. It was almost 11 as we walked up to the night club.

"Chill, alright? Look these passes should get us in, but they won't work on the drone bots at the bar, so no drinks or else we'll be caught and thrown out."

"That is if we can get past _him_," Brin motioned his head toward the stern, menacing-looking robotic bouncer with a red right eye.

"Halt, access cards required to attend venue," the automaton demanded in harsh baritone. Zedd got out the digital counterfeit cards and the bouncer scanned them with his red eye. Then the robot aimed his red eye toward _us_, scanning our whole group.

I tensed. The robot hadn't done that to other people walking in. And why was it taking so long? Would Zedd's fake access cards be denied?

"Access granted. Enter Complextro," the robot's eye turned green and he stepped aside, and I was sure I heard everyone release the breath they were holding.

[_Usher – More (Instrumental)_]

When the large double doors of the night club opened, we were bombarded with incredible sights and electrifying sounds. The music was so loud I could clearly see the massive loudspeakers vibrating. The lights were off, but the night club was illuminated by the rainbow of flashing lights and lasers. I could spot top-selling artists among the guests, as well as famous athletes and actors.

"Ho. Ly. Shit!" Rodes yelled.

"Who's the man?" Zedd asked.

"You the man!" Rodes jumped and punched the air, then rushed into the crowd of dancers.

"Woooh!" Curie yelled after him, arms in the air. Alana grabbed Zedd and they rushed off to meet some celebrity, which left me and Brin standing there.

"D-Do you wanna dance?" I stuttered. Why the heck was I so nervous? I've known Brin since freshman year. If I was going to express how I felt, now was as good a time as any. I looked up however to see Brin grinning but shaking his head.

"I don't dance. Wanna sneak into the VIP section?" Brin pointed up to an area on the second level where other celebrity guests were staying. A glass screen separated them from the main floor, so it should be quieter there. And from what I could see of the couches and the way they were dressed, it was far more luxurious. The VIP room was almost impossible to spot though in the darkness.

"Good eye," I complimented Brin, letting him guide me through the crowds of dancing bodies. I knew Brin liked a quieter, more relaxed setting, and I really liked that about him. He didn't get all hyped up about everything like Rodes, or try to act all macho alpha male like Zedd. Brin was calm, cool, and collected, and his humble self-confidence drew people to him, made them want to trust him as a leader. Plus, he was gorgeous. His amber eyes were like that of a tiger; wise and knowing, tasteful and attractive. And that smile of his, oh, that smile. There were times when that devilishly handsome grin pulled me out of my roughest days…

[_Runaway – Yeah Yeah Yeahs_]

The echo of the dance music faded from my memory as the reality of the present rushed back to me like a tidal wave. I stumbled out of the glass cylinder elevator and dragged my wet body to my apartment. I dropped my heavy coat as I shut the door, not bothering to lock it. My communicator on the wall blinked, indicating I had several messages, but I didn't want to check them right now. Instead I logged on to my virtual journal, and a blue, see-through screen popped up in front of me. The words started typing themselves as the VAD picked up my shaky voice.

"Earth-One. Hey Brin, it's me. Uhm," I cleared my throat before continuing. "Words really can't express how happy I was to hear that you are alive, after all this time. It's been years, and since no one had heard from you I, well I was starting to assume the worst. News came that you joined the Legion of Superheroes –" I sniffed. "I am so sorry about what happened to you, that your dad actually turned you into, _that_. But everything will be ok. You're alive and well and that's the most important thing. At least now I know why you weren't responding to any of the communications I've sent you.

"I know you're busy but, I hope you respond to this one." I paused, and then let out an exasperated sigh. "When will you come home? Do you even remember who you were? the people you've left behind?" My eyes stung as the tears that had been waiting to fall finally started to well. When I spoke again my voice was a good octave higher. "Do you even remember me? or the kiss we shared the last night you were on Earth?"

I shut off the virtual screen as I broke down, quiet sobs escaping me as I leaned on the wall and lowered myself into a sorry heap on the carpet. It had stopped raining, and I looked out at the bright moon that sent rays of silver light through my windows. I don't know how long I laid there, but I cried myself to sleep, haunted by memories of amber eyes and the loveliest smile.

…..

What emotions were shared between them at the night club? What's Brin's side of the story?

Note: In this AU, Legion HQ is on a different planet.

VAD = Voice Activity Detector


	3. Some Battles Must Be Fought

[_Timbaland – Hands in the Air (Instrumental)_ background music for the opening scene]

Tiffany and I entered the VIP lounge on the second level, and I was quite impressed at the size of the place. Geometric patterns flashed across the black ceiling, dimly lighting the purple colored room. Drone bots hovered around serving drinks, and shadowed, faceless women dressed in rings of whirling lights danced in glass cylinders higher above. Top celebrities sat around the bar or one of the various luxury couches. I tried to remain cool and look like I belonged here as I adjusted my collar. I wore black jeans and a red dress shirt, un-tucked except around my belt buckle. My hair was tied back, but I left my white strands loose on the side of my face. Before sneaking out of my house, I grabbed the most expensive wristwatch I owned: a heavy silver timepiece Zedd got me for my birthday. If his fake access cards hadn't worked, I would have taken it off and shoved it down his throat for wasting my time and risking our necks. I rubbed my hands together and looked at Tiffany.

"Looks like I was wrong about doubting Zedd."

"Being the grandson of a Luthor definitely comes in handy," Tiff replied, "and I don't mind indulging in the perks."

I chuckled at her comment as she excused herself to a snack table. As she walked, she turned around to smile at me, and her dark eyes held something in them that I'd never seen before. It made me a little uneasy, as it was kind of awkward seeing her give me such a look. She faced forward again, her platinum blonde hair bouncing as she walked. She wore a tight, long-sleeved black top and a short green skirt. To say the least, she definitely looked like she belonged here.

I made my way to one of the unoccupied lounge chairs and sat down. Almost immediately another woman came and plopped herself down next to me. She was tan, maybe in her late twenties – early thirties, with long red hair and a tight black dress.

"Hey there handsome, haven't seen you around here before," the woman said, swirling her drink around in her expensive glass. She crossed her legs, and the tip of her shoe rubbed up against my shin.

"What's your name?" she asked. I tensed a bit. Should I keep silent? Make up a fake name? As I tried to figure out a way not to blow my cover, she slowly ran a finger along my jaw line. Then she brought her face close to mine. I backed up into the couch as far as I could without seeming rude, and then she pretended to almost bite my cheek. I could hear the _click_ sound her teeth made as they clamped down together.

"Let's forget introductions," she continued. "Wanna get out of here?"

"No thanks," I said while trying to subtly look around for Tiffany. "I'm – kinda already with someone," I lied, hoping she would back off if she thought I was taken. It didn't faze the woman, and she put her glass down and gripped my arm and proceeded to drag me off the couch.

"All the more reason to leave while we can," the red-haired woman said to my face. Her breath smelled of alcohol, and I hated how her sharp nails dug into my biceps.

"Get off me," I yanked my arm out of her clutches, trying to be stern but not attract too much attention from the people around us. Just then Tiffany showed up by my side, grabbed my wrist and marched us back to the VIP entrance. The door closed behind us and we were in the dark area between the main rooms. Tiffany took my face into both her hands as she looked up at me, with a serious expression that again I've never seen on her before.

"Tiff," I started, but was cut off by her pressing her lips against mine. My eyes were wide as she firmly kissed me, moving her hands from my cheeks, down my neck and shoulders, then onto my chest before ending the kiss. We stared at each other in the dimness for a good five seconds or so before a sudden commotion on the lower level and the sound of glass shattering caught our attention. Tiff and I exchanged quick glances before I led her back down to the main dance floor, where we found a robot holding Rodes' collar and the rest of our friends surrounding them near a bar.

"Rodes, I said no drinks! What the heck is wrong with you?" Zedd hissed angrily at our friend, who looked terrified under the robot's iron grip.

"I was buying a drink for some chick! _I _wasn't going to drink it!" Rodes shouted back as he tried to yank his collar away from the robot's metal hand. Zedd covered his face with his hands and groaned, and Curie and Alana went to stand by Tiffany.

"Unauthorized minors are strictly prohibited at Complextro," the robot declared. "You will be taken into custody and questioned."

Oh hell no. If Rodes is caught then we all are. Youth breaking rules isn't tolerated much on 31st century Earth. They would _say_ you're going in for questioning, but in truth you'd be shipped off to some far away moon for labor at a juvenile correctional facility. They tell us they want to raise mature intellectuals capable of competing in our fast-evolving galaxy. If you chose to disobey the law rather than contribute to society, you were of no use to anyone anymore.

I never cared much for such authoritarian mentalities.

Without wasting any more time, I ran up to the robot and kicked it hard in the torso. A loud _thud_ was heard on impact, and it lost its balance for a moment, enough time for Rodes to yank his shirt from the robot's grip and break into a sprint. Without question, the rest of us made a run for it too, as another robot started to chase us. We busted our way through the same doors we had entered. Bad idea. The same guard robot that scanned us in the beginning was right there, and from the look in his red eye, it seemed his fellow automatons digitally communicated with him that there were uninvited guests.

"Let's split up!" I yelled. Zedd ran with Alana and Curie, Rodes went his own way, and Tiffany and I headed for the back allies, the bouncer following.

"Tiff, we have to split up," I told her.

"I'm not leaving you Brin!" she said. She was panting, but determined to keep up with me.

"Don't worry," I smiled, trying to reassure her. "I'll distract him while you escape."

She gave my hand a tight squeeze before making a sharp turn at the nearest corner. I kept running forward, making sure the robot was following me and not her. I leapt over a parked car as I sprinted down the sidewalk. I grabbed a metal trashcan and threw it as hard as I could behind me, but the robot whacked it away with one strong arm. I looked forward and saw a metal pole and smirked, getting an idea.

As the robot was closing in, I jumped to the side and used my feet to push myself off the side of a wall and grabbed on to the metal pole. My momentum caused me to swing all the way around, and I kicked the robot's head as hard as I could, grunting with the force I exerted to deliver the blow. The robot's head broke off, and wires sparked out of its neck as its body stilled and fell down like a chopped tree onto the sidewalk.

I landed on my feet, panting a bit, and blew the white lock of hair from my face. That was actually a bit fun, but I knew I had to get out of the area before police come around. I calmly made my way through back alleyways, confident that everyone else got away safely.

…..

[_Portland – Jake Chudnow_]

Power. Strength. _Ruthlessness_.

I rubbed my chin contemplatively as I witnessed the fierce battle that ensued on the virtual screen. I watched as a canine beast grabbed a human soldier and used its powerful jaw to bite down on the back of the soldier's neck, crushing his cervical vertebrae and severing his spinal cord, killing the man instantly.

I was always left awestruck after watching recordings of the twenty-eighth century Zuunian invasion of Earth-One. What brutality, with no childish morality holding them back from crushing their enemies. Although we humans have been proven capable of contributing intellectually and architecturally to the ever-expanding space arena, we are undoubtedly low on the list of intimidating galactic superpowers. We are no longer the exceptional beings alone in space as we once thought we were, but are now faced with being taken over by vast empires and interplanetary nations. Under Earth-One's isolationist regime, the humans that had evolved or developed supernatural abilities were considered threats and forced to find new homes elsewhere. These superhumans settled on Mars, Neptune, and the moons of our gas giants. Some traveled to other solar systems and founded New Earth and New Mars. They associated with alien races, signed treaties, participated in wars, and formed confederations. Although humans were no longer alone in the Universe, the reality of solitude and vulnerability was more ostensible now than ever before.

They evolved from us, but we can no longer consider them our benefactors. Being part of the United Planets affords us protection, but for how long?

Pained grunts from human soldiers brought my attention back to the virtual screen, which showed footage of the Zuunians' claws ripping through their torsos, coming out bloodied on the other side. Such mercilessness… These marvelous killers never failed to fascinate me. This ferocity, this swift, cunning lethality, was _exactly_ what we needed if we wanted to triumph over our galactic adversaries, whose power and influence intensifies almost exponentially every century, while we humans fade into antiquity, no longer players in the Universe we once thought we reined.

I made my way to my computer to look up old files I stored of the Zuunian invasion. Zuunium had been a newly discovered radioactive element that humans mined several centuries ago to utilize as a source of energy. The mining project was abandoned once we realized how toxic it actually was, far too hazardous for commercial use. However, the emitted radiation polluted Zuun and killed all the species, except one: the wolf-like aliens. They mutated into intelligent life-forms and became self-aware. Aware that they had inherited a rotting, contaminated world left by the humans of Earth-One who mined for their resources. The wolfen race sought revenge for the noxious devastation the humans caused on their planet. In the course of only a century, the Zuunians developed a crude civilization and built armies to wage war on the humans for permanently poisoning their biosphere. They could not build their own spaceships, but the wolves were clever enough to pirate passing vessels and use them to travel to their battleground. Their aim was to invade Earth-One and make it their own home planet.

The major problem was that the Zuunians lacked thorough strategy and proficiency, as they were an extremely young race. They were eventually defeated by the Earth-One army, with the help of Galactic Alliance forces, and were brutally sanctioned by the United Planets. They became exiles in their own galaxy, prisoners on their own poisoned planet. Now the Zuunians are a dying, forgotten race of cheap laborers, mining their element for planets and species that could use it, like the Coluans or the Gliesians, as their only source of trade.

My thought was interrupted when the communicator beeped.

"Earth-One. This is Londo. You'd better have some good news for me."

A smaller virtual screen popped up on the side showing Professor Neerg holding a test tube in one hand and a bucket of purple worms in the other. I hadn't heard from the professor in over a month, so I stood before the screen with my arms folded behind my back, unamused and expectant.

"Oh I'm sure you'll be pleased with the latest updates, Doctor. We have received all the necessary funding for the research project. We have built a private research facility on planet Rawl with all the equipment, instruments, and accommodations you requested."

"Excellent, and the other matter?"

"Yes of course, we are running scans on the latest control models for the nanite project," Neerg replied, admiring the test tube he was holding. "The results so far have been promising. This is truly novel and brilliant, if I do say so myself."

I adjusted my yellow glasses on the bridge of my nose. "Send me the tabulated lab results ASAP, and begin assembling the team. We no longer have any reason to doubt the validity of my theory. There is no time to waste."

"We'll get started right away," the professor declared excitedly and ate one of his worms. I ended the transmission, and then shut off the larger screen and stored the footage of the Zuunian invasion back into my digital collection of war documentaries and histories.

Besides genetics and nanotechnology, the study of warfare had always been a second love of mine. The Zuunians failed because they were inexperienced and lacked competent leadership.

_I_ would be a good leader. I could control my own army. I could develop the perfect battle strategies, for I have studied them all. It was theoretically possible to turn myself into a superhuman, but the technology had not been available during my youth. However, two years ago I discovered something remarkable about my late wife's DNA. She had Zunnian heritage. She did have an uncanny ability to see in the dark, which couldn't simply be brushed aside as a random human anomaly. This astonishing finding compelled me to secretly sequence my son's entire genome, and when I did, I felt as though I had won a Nobel Prize.

My son was a metahuman – his genetics were not entirely human, but not mutant enough to be considered superhuman either.

This revelation changed _everything_. His ancestors left behind a blueprint that I could tap into and unleash untold powers. Goals that had once seemed unfeasible and farfetched became plausible objectives that I could map out in an experimental series. And now everything was in place to enter the next phase of that experiment.

I walked over to a work station in my office and retrieved a box of the prototype nanites I had developed for an upcoming phase of the project. I planned to send them to yet another colleague of mine to install modifications and biophysical enhancements. I got a set out of the box and placed them on the stage. I peered into the microscope and adjusted the lens focus when my stomach growled. I checked my watch. It was 11PM. I skipped dinner again. I tend to lose track of time when absorbed in my research, but Brin would usually come down and get me for dinner. Lately though he's been staying out later and later with his friends, and the only thing that's been reminding me to acquire sustenance were the angry complaints of my belly.

Brin scores well on exams but his high school teachers have been complaining of him skipping some classes lately to hang out with these friends of his.

My son will soon be above the petty rules and regulations on this planet. His true strength is dormant, so he does not know that he is superior to everyone he has ever known. With his school going on break next week and the private research facility ready on Rawl, I have all the variables in place to set my plan in motion. Brin could become the warrior I'd always dreamed of being myself. With the power of nanotechnology, I could build my own army that would surpass the United Planets and all other galactic superpowers. But I know my teenage son will not understand. He wants to be with his peers, but his peers will only hold him back.

Earth-One will hold us both back.

The only way to make Brin an integral part of my research was to leave the planet – immediately.

…..

For more Vsauce music like _Portland_, visit Jake Chudnow on Soundcloud dot com.


	4. Chapter 3

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	5. Chapter 4

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	6. Chapter 5

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	7. Updates

_From Earth, with Love_ has resumed. The second half of Ch 3 has changed.


End file.
